Island



S. R. KING.

NIPPLE.

(No Model.)

No. 566,988. Patented Sept. 1, 1896.

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NITED STATES.

"ATET NIPPLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,988, dated September 1, 1896. Application filed October 30, 1895. Serial No. 567,369. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL ROSCOE KING, of the city and county of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Nipples for Nursing-Bottles; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention has reference to an improvement in the nipples for-nursing-bottles; and it consists in the peculiar and novel construction of the outlet, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter. Nipples for nursing-bottles have heretofore been provided with an outlet-opening at the end or apex of the nipple. In flexible nipples the position of the outlet at the apex is the correct position, for, in feeding, the child presses its tongue under. the nipple, and this bends it upward against the roof of the mouth, whereby the outletopening is brought into the best position in the mouth, where naturally the greater vacuum exists when the breath is drawn inward. In rigid nipples for nursing-bottles, which for sanitary reasons are preferred, the outletopening has been placed in the same position as these were placed in the flexible nipples, namely, into the end or apex of the nipple. A rigid nipple provided with a hole in the end of the nipple discharges the milk or other fluid below the roof of the mouth onto the tongue, where the suctionor partial vacuum is not as effective as it is near the roof of the mouth. WVhen using these nipples, the mouth is liable to fill with milk, which will run out of the infants mouth.

The object of this invention is to overcome these defects and produce a nipple that is not liable to waste the milk or other liquid.

Another object of the invention is to so construct a rigid nipple for nursing-bottles that the milk or other fluid will be delivered to the roof of the mouth.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a nursing-loottle provided with a nipple of the preferred form, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the improved nipple. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional View of a modified form of a nipple, illustrating my invention. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a rigid nipple provided with the outlet-opening and connecting-channel forming part of my invention.

Similar numbers of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

111 the drawings, 2 indicates the neck of a nursing-bottle 3, the flange integral with the neck of the bottle. I

4 is an annular groove formed around the base, from which the neck 6 of the nipple projects.

7 is the body of the nipple. In the preferred form the body 7 of the nipple is solid and preferably made of such material as will not injure the gums of the infant.

5 indicates an elastic ring by which the nipple is connected with the nursing-bottle. This method of connecting the nipple with the bottle is used to illustrate a means of connecting the same, but forms no part of my present invention, which refers to the nipple only. Any suitable method or means may be used to connect the same with the nursing bottle or vessel containing the milk or other liquid food.

The discharge-opening 8 connects the exterior with the interior of the neck 6 of the nipple, and the groove 9 extends from the opening 8 to the end or apex of the nipple.

In the forms shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 the body 7 of the nipple is offset to one side of the neck 6 of the nipple, so that when in use the infants gums enter the recess 6 on one side of the neck 6 and the surface 7 of one side of the nipple 7 is brought close to or in contact with the roof of the month, while the tongue bears against the opposite side of the body of the nipple. The suction produced by the child draws the fluid out of the opening 8 into the channel 9 and conducts the fluid beneath the roof of the mouth to the palate. The effort of drawing the fluid is materially lessened, the nipple is held more securelyin the mouth, the action of the tongue is more natural and the milk or other fluid is not liable to run into the mouth, and the nipple is more readily cleaned and kept pure and sweet.

In the form shown in Fi 5 the outlet-opening 8, located at the neck, and the groove 9,

connecting with the outlet, secure, in a measure, some of the advantages possessed by the other forms.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A rigid nursing-nipple, having the body of the nipple offset to one side of the neck, with the axis of the body parallel to the axis of the nipple, whereby the side of the nipple provided with the outlet may be placed near the roof of the mouth, as described.

2. A nursing-nipple, the body 7 of which is offset to one side of the axis of the neck, provided with the outlet-opening 8, and having the external groove 9 constructed to draw the fluid from the neck of the nipple and conduct the same toward the end or apex, as described.

3. A nursing-nipple provided with an outlet-opening located near the base of the nipple and having a groove extending externally from the outlet-opening toward the end or apex of the nipple, whereby the fluid is drawn from near the base of the nipple and conducted toward the apex of the nipple, as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SAMUEL R. KING.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH A. MILLER, HENRY J. MILLER. 

